Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on September 22 that India will establish new consulates in Boston and Los Angeles, responding to long-standing demands from the Indian American community. Speaking at the Nassau Veterans Coliseum in New York, Modi noted the strategic importance of these cities—Boston, known as the education and pharma hub of the U.S., and Los Angeles, home to Hollywood and the host city for the next summer Olympics. This decision follows the opening of a consulate in Seattle, which Modi had announced last year.
The new consulates will further expand India’s diplomatic presence in the U.S., adding to the existing consulates in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Seattle, as well as the Embassy in Washington D.C. The announcement was welcomed by Indian Americans, particularly in Los Angeles, where residents and business leaders had long advocated for the move. Gunjan Bagla, CEO of Los Angeles-based Amritt Inc., played a key role in the campaign, which garnered over 3,600 signatures and letters of support from various organizations.
Los Angeles is a vital city for global trade, with its ports handling a significant portion of the U.S.’s overseas goods. Its position as a gateway to the Indo-Pacific makes it a strategic location for India’s diplomatic presence. Local business leaders and residents expressed their appreciation, emphasizing that the new consulate will enhance engagement with American businesses and benefit Indian Americans, especially in emergencies, by reducing their need to travel to San Francisco for consular services.
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